Coin-controlled apparatus.



G. A'. LONG.y G01N GONTROLLBD APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAILZS, 1908.

Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

Wmessfels- UNirED/srnfrpsgigjrnn carton.,

GEORGE A. LONG, 0F HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 THE GRAY TELEPHONE PAY STA- TION COMPANY, 0F HARTFORD', CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

GOIN-CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

Application led March 23, 1908.`Seria1 No. 422,810.

To all whom it may concern:-

.l'e it known that I, GEORGE A. LNG, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at@ Hartford, in the county of Hartfordand State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Qon trolled Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to coin-controlled apparatus.

Coin-controlled apparatus involving lmy invention may be employed with advantage in many different connections. For illustraas an adjunct to what is known-as a telephone-pay station.

Coin-controlled apparatus embodying my invention includes a coin-chute orvrn-way and signal means operable by a coin -traversing or passing along saidchute.' I employ preferably in'connection with said chute a single signal means the latter being in such relation with the chute as to be acted on a plurality of times, for instance twice.

means so that an operator atv a central station can readily distinguish definitely the two actions of the signal means.

I wish to indicate that-I use the term signal means in a generic sense to include simply a bell'which I prefer to use in conjuno tion with the chute, or any other type vof signal which has means associated therewith for obtaining the successive operation thereof. In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification I illustrate one simple and effective form of embodiment of the invention which to enable those skilled in the art t0 practice the same will be set forth in detail in the following description.

whilethe novelty of the invention will be' covered in the claims succeedingsaid d'escription.

y Referring to said draWnga-Ti'igure 1 is a rear elevat1on partly in section of a telephone pay station comprising an apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the lower portion of one of the 'three chutes illustrated in said Fig. l, and, Fig. 3 is an edge View of said lower portion of said'particular chute. r I

Like characters refer 4to Vlike parts throughout the several figures of the draw- .'being adapted for the receiptV and traverse therealongof coins 'ofthe proper denomir ation, the coins prior to their discharge from the appropriate chutes preferably operating signal means. Y-

Thechute' 3' may be employed forthe reception of a nickel or tie-cent piece.A while the chute 4, may-receive dimes or ten-cent pieces, while twenty-vc cent pieces may be 1, ydeposited in the chute 5. These are only Oneof the primary purposes of my inVenv tion is to so dispose this chute as to secure 'an appreciable and readily vperce`ptible time between the two operations ofthe signal' illustrations, however, for the chutes nayreceiv tokens not necessarily coins and only one coin or token may be necessary in the apparatus. I mention these to indicate that my invention does not concern any number of chutes or any particular arrangement thereof but resides more especially in a means whereby a coin or its equivalent after having operated a signal can again eifec'tlthe action of said signal and in such a way that this fact can be 'at Once and readily detected by'a central operator. In other words the re is Vn0 blurring or confusion in sounds .is would follow where the two strokes of the bell are made practically concurrently, In the present'instaucc the intermediate chute` 4 is vof such a character asfto. obtain the advantage mentioned. Preferably theresult in question is obtained by making the coin after it has once operated the signal means follow an irregular or tortnous path before it again operates the signal. i

As indlcated hereinbefore the signal cooperative vwith the chute 4. consists preferably of a bell ns 6 theA concaved side of which faces inwardly or toward said chute 4. The bellnia) be fastened in any desirable way within the casing 2. itsedge or peripheral porti in beingarrangcd as-will hereinafter appe ir,'in such a marmer as to 1' bell is'not projected so far. into the chute as be encountered twiceby the coin descending the chute 4.

The `chute 4 has alower substantially V- shaped terminal portion 7 and which serves as av convenient and simple means for positively guiding the coin orequivalent device along an irregular path. I say substantially y V-shaped for the reason that this part is not truly of V form it being somewhat curved or bent on an arc at the junction of its legs or branches whereby the progress of the coin throughsaid substantially V shaped portion 1s 1n nowiseretarded or lmpeded. The coin after traveling through this V-shaped portion 7 passes into the usual coin-box or receptacle. At the vplace where the upper leg of this V-shaped terminal' portion merges into or unites with the body of the chute I prefer to form a' slot or, openingas 8. Into this .slot one part of theedve or peripheral portion of the verticaily disposed bell 6 is slightly eatended al substantially diametrically-opposite part of said bell being located 1n proximity lto the delivery end or opening of the said chute 4. The upper part of the to arrest the movement of the coin but only suiiclentiy to get a clear tone therefrom when encountered by the coin.

I desire to make it clear that the chute 4 comprlses a plurality of sections each having a V-shaped terminal portion, at least' oneV section' of the chute having` beads extending longitudinally thereof to produce -a channeled section and the other section consisting of a strip shaped to agree with that of said beads and closing said channeled section to present a tube. It will therefore bev clear that I so shape the chute 4' as to cause the com after havingoperated the signal means o nce to move insa direction away from 'the slgnal `means and afterward to approach said signal means, and this result I can. acco vplish'in a feasible manner by bending the chute so that there will be a clearly `discernible interval of time between theA two strokes of the bell, this being accomplished 1n a positive manner. The bend in the chute 4 does not materially affect the gravitation of the coin although the lower leg thereof directs the coin squarely against the bell to secure a sharp, clear sound thereof, the same function being obtained by making the chute 4 above said V portion Vof such shape as to deliver the. coin squarely against the upper portion of the bell. The chute 4 is of practicalliy]1 the same depth throughout its length there v to prevent possibility of lateral motion of the coin therein and the deviation of the coin from its normal path.-

Itl will be apparent that the chute 4 has a plurality of signal receiving openings one of which is located between the ends thereof andthat said chute has a bent portion between these openings. Said bent portion is oec preferably inclosed, by which I mean prac'-v tically tubular although not necessarily imperforate or unslotted but such a construction as will properly guide a coin orits equivalent from one of said openings toward the other. l

.What I claim isi v 1. The combination of a coin-chute having a substantially V-shaped tubular portlon, and a bell disposed in operative relation to said chute, the latter havmg separated openings and different portions of the bell being disposed opposite said openings one of said .Y

openings being disposed approximately. at one end of said V-shaped portion and the other being disposed approximately `at the other end of said'. V-sh'a "ed portion. 2. The combination o a coin-chute having la substantially vV-shaped terminal portion at the lower 'end thereof of tubular form, said chute having an opening at approxi- 4mately the junction ofsaid V-shaped portion with the body of the chute, and a bell one portion of which is disposed opposite said opening andanother portion of which. is sit- -uated at the lower end of said V-shaped por- .tion 'said lower end constituting the delivery part of said chute. y

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a' coin-chute and a si al means in coperative relation with said lchute and operable successivel by' a coin passing through said chute the atter bein shaped to positively direct the coin away rom said signal means after the same has been initially operated and then to positively direct the coin toward and against the said signal means.

4. In an apparatus of the class described', a coin chute and a bell in cooperative relation with said chute the latter having longitudinally separated openings to l permit a coin passing through said chute to strike said bell at least twice and the chute being shaped to first positively direct the coin away from-the bell after the initial operation and then `afterward positively toward the bell.

5. The combination of a coin-chute composed of two channeled sections fitted together to form a tube, said sections having V-shaped outer terminal. portions and also having notches which mate to produce a slot the notches beingffsituated .substantially at the junction of Ysaid V-shaped -portions with the remainder of the respective sections and ay bell having one portion opposite'said slot y v.

and anotherportion opposite the outer end of the V-shaped. tubu ar portion made by said outer terminal portions 'of said sections.

6. The combination of a coin-chute composed of two sections having V-shaped outer terminal portions provided with beads along their inner faces which t together to produce a tube and said beadshaving notches which mate to form a slot, said notches be,-

ing situated substantially at the junction of 1n testimony whereof I a-ix my signature said V-shaped portions with the remainder in presence of two Witnesses. of said sections and a bell having one portion opposite said slot and another portionl GEORGE A' LONG' opposite the outer end of said V-shaped Witnesses: tubular portion formed lby the complemental JOSEPH P. KENNEDY,y

first-mentioned V-shaped portions. FRANCES E.' BLODGETT. 

